Weapons of Choice

Axis of Time, Book 1

By: John Birmingham

Narrated by: Jay Snyder

The impossible has spawned the unthinkable. In 2021, a quantum military experiment goes horrifically wrong. A multinational taskforce of ultra-modern warships is suddenly transported back in time to 1942...right into the path of the U.S. naval battle group bound for Midway Atoll.

History is rewritten in an instant as the future smashes into the past, and high-tech hardware goes head to head with World War Two technology. In the chaos that ensues, thousands are killed, but the maelstrom has only just begun. The veterans of Pearl Harbor have never seen a helicopter, or a cruise missile - let alone nanotechnology, ceramic bullets, and F22 Raptor stealth jetfighters.

Allied and Axis forces are then caught in a desperate struggle to gain the upper hand - each hoping to tip the balance with a fist full of 21st-century firepower. What happens next is anybody's guess - and everybody's nightmare.

Listen to the entire Axis of Time trilogy.©2005 John Birmingham (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Fantastic narration

The story was both enjoyable and easy to follow. That said, there were certainly parts that didn't make sense or seemed unbelievable (even in the context of a time travel story). The narration was far better than expected, and as someone who also owns the physical books, the audiobooks are the only way to go for this series.

-Chad

Really good read

This book reminds me of a very controversial sci-fi book from the early '80s titled Hitler Victorious. I don't recall the author - but the topics explored were a huge "What If". The author got into some real down and dirty social and psychological changes that probably could have occurred had the Axis powers won WW2. Many of the points were the ugly head of racism and how the racist views were only amplified after the end of the war. Sadly, that particular book was canned by the publisher because it really touched a nerve.

Fast forward to this book - and I'm fascinated with the world created. I do whence each and every time the flagship Carriers name is mentioned - but aside from that I've really enjoyed it. I appreciate the author captured the mindset of the day - that could end someone in the world of today.

Excellent Alternate History

I really enjoyed the premise of this book and rank the storytelling right up there with Jack Campbell's "Lost Fleet Series" in the intensity of the action and portrayal of characters.

There may be too much gratuitous sex sprinkled throughout though. I really don't need to know about Beria getting ready to masturbate to pornography while talking to Stalin (book 3). And way too much with Slim Jim.

Worth the credits.

Superb!

This is a great read and Jay Snyder does a wonderful job of it. Wow, what a Tom Clancy type action tech thriller. I can't put it down and can't wait to read the next one. A terrific science fiction time twister indeed. Fabulous!

enjoyed the book laughed at some of the reviewers

How did the narrator detract from the book?

His version of women did sound a bit like a mincing queen.

Any additional comments?

I found myself wondering if it was the writing that I did not like or if I just felt the main characters were not "strong" enough at times and did not stand up for themselves as much as they could have. I did decide that the missteps, hesitancy, missed opportunities or hackneyed path not taken gave the characters some genuine feel instead of some unbelievable super captain-america-avenger. It has just enough balance of action, intrigue, horror, outrage and revenge with moderately interesting characters to bring you back.If there is anything that might hold this book together is the effort at keeping authenticity and human failings with the characters while asking you to accept the plot and the situation with which they have to manage. The 21st century characters face bigotry, fear, anger, blame, violence. Many of the contemporary politicians and people would rather ignore what they have to say or offer and repeat their own mistakes or worse. It is form over substance. Cursing matters more than being competent. The color of your skin or who you know is far more important than what you have to say or your actions and someone who worries about cursing doesn't care a bit about racial slurs. A true american hero is just someone with good PR (sound familiar) … it would be un-American to suggest that our torpedoes don't work … even though we know american torpedoes in the pacific were a disaster … Better to stick your head in the sand and say america is number 1 than to do something about it and win. All too familiar with today which is why it was so hard to buy the premise that these people were from 2020 but the backstory was that they were shaped by a very different conflict. I must say it always amazes me to see reviews with "politically correct" and "too much bad language". If you had just purchased a children's book or another selection from your fox news readers list perhaps you may be disappointed but in a military adventure depicting the future there are going to be some ships named after some politicians that you may know today. Get over it. In the real world there are bound to be ships named for some politician that somebody didn't like. Get over it. The Navy does. As for the bad language. You must be joking. I am sure through death camps, firing squads, the squalor and terror of war what you would most be worried about is a cursing sailor.